I’m visiting London and want to use the 2-4-1 offers
Well done you! You have discovered one of the best ways to save money in London—the 2-4-1 offers. With this deal, offered by National Rail, two adults with Travelcards issued from a National Rail station--even one within London--can go to a participating London attraction and pay one admission for two entries.
It’s a great way to see London and save money- (UPDATE- since the 2015 changes in travelcard rates, there is a significant reduction in savings- and if you are a family of 4 (with 2 young kids) you may not save much - see the calculations done under the post http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopi... So please work out whether it would be worth your while to go for the 2For1 offers)
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And you don't even need to take a National Rail train.
Now, how to do it, step by step.
Step 1) Go to a National rail station and buy a Travelcard for each person. Be careful here—most National Rail stations have an underground station with the same name and they also sell Travelcards. Those will not be eligible. Also ineligible are seven day Travelcards purchased from an Overground station--these will be issued on Oyster, and will not allow you to take advantage of the 2-4-1 offers.
Ask for a zone 1-2 Travelcard, as most attractions in London are in that area. Your card should look like this:

Step 2) Take some 2-4-1 vouchers from the station (included in the 2-4-1 brochures). Or better yet, print them off at home. (Stations do run out from time to time)
Step 3) Using your Travelcard, travel to the attraction you want to see. When you buy the ticket, say you would like the 2-4-1 deal, and present your voucher. You may be asked to show your Travelcards.
Step 4) You will then be allowed to pay one admission for two people. Two for the price of one.
FAQs
So the Travelcard is just for getting deals?
No, it is also for getting around London. It gives you unlimited travel on the tube, and the red bus network. In fact since the buses do not have zones, you can use your Travelcard to ride the bus beyond zones 1-2.
Is there a list of attractions that
participate?
There is indeed! Please note that the home page for this link shows only a few of the offered attractions--you can search for them, or show them all alphabetically. Currently, there are roughly 160 offers.
http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-l...
I read that I'll need a photo--what kind?
You only need a photo to buy a weekly Travelcard. You can use any passport size (not quality) photo. You can print this out at home.
You do not need a photo for a one-day travelcard.
I’ll be in London for three days—can’t I buy a three day Travelcard?
3 day Travelcards are no longer sold. You can buy one day Travelcards, or a weekly Travelcard.
So if I want three Travelcards I will have to go to the National Rail station every day? We're not staying near a rail station.
No, you should be able to buy a National Rail Travelcard for the day you want, and future days. Be very clear about the dates. If you are staying four days or longer, it is a better deal to get the 7-day Travelcard.
If children under 11 can go free on the
tube, can I buy one Travelcard, and
still use the 2-4-1?
If you want to take advantage of the 2-4-1s, each person must have a Travelcard.
What is the difference between Peak and Off Peak Travelcards?
Off-peak one-day travelcards cost £12.00 and are valid for travel after 09.30 Monday-Friday, and any time on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays.
Peak one-day travelcards cost £12.00 for zones 1-4, or £17.00 for zones 1-6 (which includes Heathrow Airport) and are valid for travel at any time.
Seven-day travelcards are valid at any time during the period of validity, and cost £32.10 for zones 1-2 - this is cheaper even than four off-peak one-day travecards. Seven-day travecards for a greater number of zones cost correspondingly more, but if you are planning more than one trip into more distant zones it might be worth buying a card which covers those zones. Don't forget you need a passport-sized photo for a seven-day card.
Prices quoted above apply from 2nd January 2015.
Is theTravelcard on Oyster eligible?
No, only National Rail Travelcards are eligible.
Will Travelcards purchased on-line be eligible for the 2-4-1 deals?
Sorry, Travelcards purchased on-line are not eligible.
Can I buy a 7 day Travelcard from a London Overground Station?
No, Overground stations will issue weekly travelcards on Oyster, which is ineligible for the 2-4-1 offers. However you can buy an eligible one day Travelcard from an Overground Station. (London Overground is an urban and suburban rail system that the majority of tourists will never use)
Can I buy attraction tickets ahead of time using the 2-4-1 deals?
You must present the voucher in person, and have a valid Travelcard.
I thought I had to take a train—isn’t that what National Rail is?
Train travelers can take advantage of this deal. (Though not Eurostar, or Heathrow Express (HEX)) But the Travelcards are a loophole of sorts for the tourist who just needs transport (and bargains) within London.
Does the Travelcard need to be used on the undergound or bus before I can use it at an attraction?
It is not necessary to travel there using your travelcard. It is very likely that you will, as London is a large place, but you may walk, cycle, taxi or unicycle there as far as the 2-4-1 scheme is concerened. All that matters is that you have a valid paper rail ticket with you, one for each person. When you buy the attraction ticket, say you would like the 2-4-1 deal, and present your voucher. You may be asked to show your Travelcards.
I am traveling alone—can I use the 2-4-1 deals?
No, sorry. It must be at least two people.
The website says the attraction’s 2-4-1 offer will expire when I get there!
Some attractions do not offer the 2-4-1 deal during summer months. Many, however are published in six month periods, and will renew.
Can I buy the Travelcard at Heathrow?
Heathrow is a tube stop; Travelcards eligible for the 2-4-1 deal are only available at National Rail Stations. You can purchase a single fare to London, and then purchase a Travelcard at a National Rail Station once you arrive in London.
How many attractions per day can I visit using the Travelcard and the 2-4-1 deal?
As many as you like.
If I go to an attraction with my child, can we pay just the child's ticket and both get in free?
People taking advantage of the 2-4-1 offers must pay for an adult ticket--even if only one person is an adult.